Climate change doesn't turn the heads of oil industry lobbyists, but killing the Global Warming Solutions Act does the trick. This is a picture of the elbow-room-only scrum outside the Assembly gate as lobbyists wait to see the outcome of the Assembly floor vote on SB 32 by Senator Fran Pavley. SB 32 would codify California's commitment to reducing emissions by 2050 to 80% of 1990 levels.
The final vote was 30 Yes to 33 No. If you're scratching your head because they taught you in government class that the state 
Assembly has 80 members, not 63, your confusion is merited. 16 assemblymembers, nearly all Democrats, didn't vote at all.
To vote No is one thing, but to duck a vote completely is cowardly. "Not-voting" is fence-riding at its worst, by lawmakers who don't want to be held accountable by either side. Voting is pretty much what we send politicians to Sacramento for. They're little use to the public if they duck even that basic responsibility.
Let's hope today that those missing 16 Members were just in the bathroom. Here's the final vote, as of 5:45. The tally has changed several times already tonight as missing members add on. We'll update if it changes again.
